Boot and shoe cleaner.



.No. 821,193. v PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. F. L. ROLPH.

BOOT AND SHOE CLEANER.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1904.

5 5 terniined location.

'rrri "i. i WWW. "i r All or Specification or Letters Patent.

Patented 33455.57 22, 1906.

Application filed Eleptember 13, 1904. Serial No. 224,256.

To @175 whom it may concern:

Be it known thati, FREDERICK L. RoLrn, of Fitchburg, in the county of Worceste' and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have in- 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot and Shoe Cleaners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

is invention relates to boot-cleaners, and more particularly to that class known as -check-controlled.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is operated by electricity. A still further object of the in vention is to provide means whereby the cur rent of electricity is undernontrol of a coin.

The invention also. has for an object novel means whereby the coin can be displaced from its operative position, and thereby limit the time of the operation of the ma chine.

i The invention also has for an object the construction of such an apparatus which will. not necessitate stooping on the part of the user and which will also produce a machine that can be easily placed in any suitable locality.

A further object or the invention is to pro duce a device of this character that will be 3 simple in construction, efficient in practice,

and economical to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accoi i anying draw ings, forming part of this speci cation, where-- in like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the machine when in applied position. is a view in elevation and partly. in section, showing the operative parts of the invention; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the circuit-controlling means, a circuit being made. Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the exception that the circuit is broken and the controllingcoin is in position to drop.

In the drawings, A indicates a base having the lower flanges a, which. are provided with. the openings or. apertures 7), through which bolts, screws, or other suitable means are -.adapted to pass to secure the base in s predc- Secured centrally of the base and extending upward therefrom is a the wires 22 and standard Formed "integral with and eX- tending to one side of the standard,- at the top thereof, is a wing C, having formed in its end a bushing l. Suitably secured to the top of the standard A is a housing D, having a suitable lid (Z hinged thereto at one end and adapted to be held in a closed position by ons of the lock 2. "Within the housing is secured a dynamo E, which imparts motion to a shaft 4-, which has on one end a gear wheel- 5 and on the opposite a worm 6. Mounted in the "bushing 1 and extending within the housing is a shaft 7, having on its upper end and within the housing a gear-- wheel 2%, meshing with the jear-wheel 5 on the shaft 4i. Attached to t e lower end of the shaft 7 is a suitable polishing-head 9. This head is preferably removably secured to the shaft '7-in order that it can be readily replaced when it has become worn or otherwise unfit for use. The worm-gear 6 on the shaft 4-. meshes with a gear 10, which is mounted in the support or journal 11, secured at one end to the base of the housing.

C ne of the of the housing has formed therethrough a slot 12, which communicates with. a channel or coinway 13 within said housing. This coinway should be formed of non-conductive material. This coinway 13 leads to two conductive plates 14 and 15,

suitably spaced apart and secured to but insulatcd from aside of the housing. These plates are provided with opposing grooves 16 and 17, and thereby ception of a coin discharged. ther'ebetween from the coinway 18. The upper plate 14 is rigidly secured; but the lower plate 15 is pivoted, 18. This plate 15 has formed inform a way for the retegral therewith an arm 19 at one end, which provides sufficient weight to hold the plate normiily in a parallel position with the up per plate; Secured to the opposite end of the plate 15 is an arm 20, which is adapted to come into contact with an arm or extension 21, secured to the side of the wheel 10. These arms 20 and 21 are removably secured in their positions inv order that they may be easily replaced for any cause. From any.

suitable electrical source, preferabl exterior I0 5 of the housing, the plate 14 is co.

23. In the drawings and the preferred form the wires extend through the case A. and up through the standard B to the plate. The plate 15 is connected to the dynamo I by means of the wires 24 and 25.

In practice normally the arm 21 is just beected by IIO low the arm 20. A coin is inserted through the slot 12 into the coinway 13, from which it passes between the plates 14 and 15, and thereby closesa circuit which operates the dynamo. This causes the shaft 4 to rotate.

Q The gear 5, meshing With-the gear 8, causes brea the head 9 to revolve. The worm 6 causes the Wheel 10 to operate; and as it passes around its'shaft it carries the arm 21 along. This arin 21 comes in contact with the arm 20 on the pivoted plate 1.5, and thereby depresses said 1plate and causes the coin to. drop, which is the circuit and stops the machine. The arm-19 is of suilicient weight turn the plate-to its normal position' In theonter end of the groove 16 of the late 14 is formed astop 26. This stop magy e a depending lug formed with the plate.

It may be made removable or may be of any preferred construction. 7 By the means of this stop the movei nent of the coin is limited and is positively held between the two .contact-plates l and 15 until theplaite. 15 is tripped.

Extending up the cover or lid d is a post c, provided at its upper end with ahandle f, adapted tohc graspedby a person in using the apparatus for convenience support. Any suitable sign or advertising device g may also be secured to the 11d, accord- .in to fancy or requirements.

he operation and construction of "the 111-, ventionis thought to he clearly apparent from the foregoing. 'It must be observed,

that any and all changes may he resorted to thatfairly an within the scope of the claims attached hereto, without sacrificing the value there-of.

as to re the iixed Having thus hilly described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l 1. In combination, a housing having? a slot in one of its faces, a chutewithin the housing leading from the slot, a shaft Within the housing, a dynamo carried by the shaft to rotate the same, two plates suitably spaced apart to plates being immovable, while the remaining l form a continuation of the-chute, one of said plate is pivoted, a Weighted arm carried by l the pivoted plate to hold it normally parallel with the first-named plate, a sto carried l) i to Contact with and impart motion to the pivleading fronrthe slot, a shaft Within the housing, a dynamo carried by the shaft to rotate the same, two plates. suitably spaced apart to form a continuation of the chute, one of said plates being immovable, While the remaining plate is pivotetka Weighted arm carried by normally parallel with the fixed plate, an ex tension on the opposite end of the pivoted plate, means operated .y the she t,

l oted plate, and a suitableconnection from an .one ehd of the pivoted plate to holdsaid plate- 1 plate, means operated by the shaft adapted i. to contact with the extension of the pivoted plate to impart motion thereto angl asuitable connection between an electrical source,

plates and dynamo. I

. I FREDERICK L. ROLPH.

Witnesses: i

' J. W. ltlERRI/mi.

U. A. 'larr. 

